HUTT BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 623, 28 September 1909, Page 6

HUTT BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

FURTHER DISCUSSION. ' In accordance with tho request expressed at tho meeting' of the Hutt Borough Council on September 13, Mr. G. Laing-Meason, consulting engineer, attended last night'e meeting.in order to explain a matter arising out'of tho inquiry as to the £52,000 loan.- The question was as follows:—How it came that au original, estimate , of tho cost of carrying out the sewage works was £20,610 (being £17,840 plus proportional share of contingency fund), yet, after one septic tank had been finished and the other more than half finished, the engines and much material bought : and paid for, and a considerable longth of pipes laid,'that estimate should bo £20,300? . Mr. Meason explained ; that the difference ,was due to increase in labour and materials. Councillor Ansoh's estimate of the positionwae as followsi-MDriginal -estimate for sewage was £17,840; proportion (7-lOths) of £4000 contingency fund, £2800; total, £20,040; Mr. Meason's estimate for completion, £20,300; differ-' ence, £340. . . , ■ ■ In connection with these'figures, Councillor Anson added: It seems that, after 60 large a part of the work had been done, Sir. Meason was estimating' the cost of completion at very nearly tho same's as that for the whole wort His explanation is as follows, as I understand him:—Original estimate, £17,840;■ contingency fund, £3600; total, £21,4-10; plus 16 per cent.' for increased cost of labour, etc, £3430; total (including increased ■ cost of labour), £24,870; Mr. Meason's present' estimate for completion, £20,300; difference, which should reprosont cost of work completed by March 31, £4570. Under a 16 per , cent, increase of c05t , £4570 represents £3940. Thus, under; original scale of wages, we should:' have had—Original estimate, £17,640;: contingencies, £3600; total, £21,440. Work done (March 31), £3940; amount, to complete, £17,500; total, £21,440. Thus, the 1 estimate of cost of completion is £2800 moro than it would have' .been under ■'. the old scale of wages. Councillor Anson further remarked on the question as to whether it was a fair thing to take £3600 of the contingency fund for sewage instead of £2800, which would belong to it proportionally. Everest's Creek and the 'other works seemed, to have very little for convtingencies.. However, Mr. Meason had eaid that'that was contemplated at the time. Councillor Baldwin' asked Mr. Meason if-he had proof of the cost of material having gone up 16 per cent. : . ■■'~-■•- . . /Mr. Meason replied that ho.had not actual proof, but ho based his figures on contracts which he'had'let. .. ■ • ' ;. : - '■.'■ ■■'- ■; Councillor Baldwin quoted an opinion con-' earning the price of cement and pipes in 1905 and 18J19, which :Bhowed that- theformer had gone down 5 per cent, .and some sizes of pipes were 25 per cent less.' He knew, of > course, that labour had gene up. .... .: . .■; ,- , Mr.'G.osse'(tt contractor who .'was-present in the room) stated that .the price of. materials had dropped io. the last four or five months. Mr. .Meason: .My.estimate, .was made; in March. '''■''■ : . ■'■'■" v. •'-." ;':■'''■ '''A ';■ ",' ■ '•'■The Mayor; Would you like to modify jour estimate. Of- '■ 16 per cent.?'. . V-:. '','(., -■ ■ . Mr. Meason'••-No; that is what'it works ,out at. .."" ■'•;..> "■': ■•■ . . •;> ■• .'■..• '.. . Mr. Meason went on to state , ,'in'reference to the suggested'difference,of six inches in the width bf'.tho trenches, that the .amount in question■■■! would be £1070, 'and there would etill be a" deficiency of aWt £3000. /':..". Councillor Baldwin -objected to a statment by the Maj-of that'tho amount of loan'money was about £2000. "What,"' he'.asked, "has that to dp with Mr. Meason?" ' The Mayor:"l am getting sick of tho whole business.' \1 put'-my vie\vs before'tho payers strongly;. I was most'pronounced in\ niy policy,' and I-went in' for' the'.'sole purpose, at' a great personal disadvantage to myself, to carry out that policy; So long as I , am Mayor I. intend to see that I/am not ; .a mere puppet. .'' ■! "''.■•>'• :|i . ■ . ' ■■■■.-'-,. Councillor Baldwin: Neither am I, I.don't intend to'bo silent "either. ' ; I The Mayor (to."Mr.-Meason): Assuming that nnd«r £2000.is in , ,'hand for- the ccmpletipn of the drainage; would.:youi aLter 'your estimate 'ii regard to the: necessity-of getting S12.000? Mr. Meason: iCertainly. not. ■■ Counoillor Clere pointed out that lesser pipes had-been substituted, and, as far as he could see, the reduced amount was not brought to credit. ' ; : •. ' • ' •'•Mr: Meason replied that he would look into that.point. , ■■'. , ■■•- . ',' i ,• ' Councillor-.Clere: I would be.glad.to know as-we want to. ascertain our exact position. Councillor'Baldwin:'ls it 'a ia'pt' that, from King's Road to the' borough.-boundary,- a-eix-inch pipe has been-substituted for a nine-inch pipe? ' : '.- • .' ,- ~--•■••• ,-• .. Mr. Meason: I cannot-say. \ ■! N The Mayor: It-was never intended that surface drainage should seriously be considered a part of the scheme. .-■',. . . ■ i'. Mr. Meason ebneutred with this. ■ V The Mayor: In'view of what Councillor Baldwin'has said, I shall not ast Mr. Meason any further questions. ' - ■■■■■. Councillor Alacaskill: Can the borough engineer ask any'questions? . >..;'.-.■•. . The Mayor: Yes; ■/'.,: ■ :t ' \ ' ■■: ..: , The Borough Engineer: I have no questions to ask him. I. have my opinions, "anu he has given hie. I'leave it to'the council to please themselves, '.v.' ■ ■ : '■ 'Mr. Meason said that! he would endeavour to have the 'plans' and specifications for proceeding -with the remainder of the drainage work by contract' ready for next meeting. » , ;. Mr. Meason was accorded a vote of-thanks before retiring. ; ! ': The Controller and Auditor-Qonoral returned the baknoc-sheet for tho year ended Maroh 31, 1909, with tigs. -One was that loan moneys amounting to £822 Uβ. lOd. has been used to reduce the borough overdraft; .■■.'"''■- ■' : The olerk efetea that it was : refunded from tHe district fund ito^the-loan-in April. The Mayor: We r caa't 6ign' the balanoe-shoot without putting , in some tags .- ourselves. (Laughter.).'-. ; , ; . . •'.■.■"'.'' Councillor Kempthorne: I think our report in reference to the accounts, might be attached to the balance-sheet.. ' ■ ; The Mayor: Yes. We cannot sign it-as if: is. I am. not going to sign; it.' ' ' ' ■' . It was decided-to'bring up tho balance-sheet at next meeting, , and that.-the'report be fprwaTdedtotheA/uditor:GcneraL - . The council resolved. that the salary, of :the borough engineer .revert to £350 after December 31. . .■■::: <:■■■ ••"•."■■.■■ '.•■■..'■